Operation: Annihilate, Redux
by darke wulf
Summary: ...or the prompt that ate my brain. What would have happened if it wasn't Spock that was attacked by the creatures on Deneva?


Operation Annihilate Redux (or the prompt that ate my brain)

by: darke wulf

_Disclaimer: Unless you don't recognize them, I don't own them. No money or other profits are being made from this attempt at entertainment. _

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This story was written for the scene remix challenge at the LJ "startrekland" community. It only needed to be 100 words long. *sigh*

_I tried to keep as true to the original episode as possible while still "making it my own", so a lot of the dialogue and such will seem familiar. I would REALLY appreciate people's opinions on how I did as far as balancing things – did I change too much? Not enough? Please let me know._

_Thanks! _

* * *

You all know the tale, recorded in Starfleet's records. It began on Stardate 3287.2. The _Enterprise_ had been following the trail of a civilization-destroying mass insanity as it jumped from planet to planet. The next likely target – Deneva, where Captain Kirk's brother and his family reside. Communication attempts with the planet fail.

As the _Enterprise_ approaches the system, their sensors detect a small craft on a collision course with the sun. Attempts at rescue fail. Before being destroyed, the pilot cries that he has finally been freed… from what is uncertain.

Captain Kirk leads a landing party down to the planet, where they are confronted, warned away, and then attacked by a group of citizens. The attackers are stunned when the landing party hears a scream from a nearby laboratory.

Upon entering the lab they find Kirk's brother, sister-in-law and nephew. Sam, Jim's brother is already dead. His sister-in-law, Aurelan, is hysterical; his nephew, Peter, unconscious.

Doctor McCoy sedates Aurelan and he and Kirk beam both she and Peter to the Enterprise.

McCoy realizes that both Aurelan and Peter are in extreme pain. He tranquilizes them both, but Aurelan is resistant to the drugs. Jim questions her, desperate to understand what happened. Though in extreme pain, she explains that "they" came eight months ago – horrible things that came from another planet, that forced the crew to bring their ships to Deneva. "They" use pain to control the citizens of Deneva, and are forcing them to build ships from "them." She extolls Jim to not let "them" go any further just before dying from a final, agonizing attack.

Jim beams back down to the planet and rejoins the away team in searching for "them." Following a strange buzzing noise, they eventually come across the creatures – strange single-celled organisms that are resistant to their weaponry. As the away team retreats from the area, Spock is attacked.

As events continue, Spock is barely stopped before taking over the ship on the orders of the creatures. When he awakens in Sickbay, however, he claims to have mastered the pain, and insists that it is safe to allow him back on duty.

He convinces Kirk to allow him to return to the planet where he successfully captures one of the creatures. In the lab, it is determined that the alien is part of a hive mind from a different universe, that is almost immune to phaser fire and other attempts at destroying it. Jim is desperate for a cure that will safely free the victims of the creatures' control but McCoy in unable to find any solutions.

As Jim is resigning himself to completely destroying the population of Deneva and Spock in the hopes of stopping the spread of the creatures he suddenly remembers the man who died in the sun, and his joyous cries of being "free." After much discussion, it is discovered that the creatures are photo-sensitive – the intense light of the sun destroyed them.

Spock is used as an initial test subject. While the test successfully frees him of the creature's control, it also leaves him blind. It is only then that it is discovered that untraviolet light alone is required to destroy the creatures.

With this knowledge, the Enterprise is able to destroy the creatures and free the citizens of Deneva. Thankfully, Spock's blindness turns out to be temporary - his second eyelid protected his eyes from the worst of the light.

And so the _Enterprise_ continues on their journey of exploration and discovery, saddened by their losses but ultimately victorious.

… But what if it wasn't Spock that was attacked by the creatures? How would events have changed, if one of the others in the landing party had been the victim instead?

That is where _**our**_ story begins…

* * *

Following the unidentifiable buzzing noise, the landing party made their way down a set of stairs and into an interior courtyard that had at one time obviously been beautiful. An elaborate fountain stood in its center, now dry and silent. The plants that had once flourished were starting to brown and die.

Jim's nerves wound tighter and tighter as the strange noise increased in level. He cautiously explored the courtyard, searching for whatever was making the sound. Then, from a shadowed doorway leading deeper into the building, he noticed movement. He focused his eyes and phaser on the darkness, but was unable to make out any distinct shaped.

"Spock," he called, meaning to ask the Vulcan, whose eyes were superior to his own, to examine the doorway.

As Spock turned towards him, however, a strange organism flew out of the shadows, skimming just above the heads of the landing party, causing them to flatten themselves to the ground.

"Form a ring. Fire!"

Suiting actions to words, Kirk aimed his phaser, set to kill, at one of the organisms that was just visible on the edge of the doorway. At first it didn't seem that their weapons would have any effect, but finally the thing collapsed onto the ground where it lay motionless.

Cautiously the landing party approached the alien. Now that it was out in the light Jim could see that it was curiously flat – appearing oddly similar to a ray from Earth's oceans but with a much shorter tail. It was a mottled, sickly combination of peach and white in color and covered in a viscous appearing slime.

Spock knelt next to the downed creature, eyes glued to his tricorder. "Incredible. Not only should it have been destroyed by our phasers, it does not even register on my tricorder "

"Captain, it doesn't even look real," Yeoman Jamal opined, staring at the thing with disgust.

"It is not life as we know or understand it. Yet it is obviously alive, it exists…"

"And it can bear up under full phaser power," Jim interrupted Spock, mind racing with the ramifications of their discovery.

"Captain, I suggest we risk taking it aboard."

Jim considered Spock's request, but every instinct he had was insisting that he get his people out of the area immediately. Something wasn't right; the situation seemed too easy - almost contrived. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what was bothering him, but he had learned through the years not to ignore his intuition when it made itself so clearly known.

"It's too close in here. It may be a trap. Let's move out."

At his command, the team turned and began to move off in the direction from which they had come.

Unbeknownst to them, the creature that they had just been studying began to move. Seeing its opportunity it silently flew towards the one that it knew, from information only recently stolen, to be the one whose assimilation would be the most beneficial to its cause.

Striking without warning, the alien attached itself to Kirk's back, digging in with the razor-sharp barbs that lined its stomach. Once secure, its stinger extended from its protective sheath and jabbed deeply into the human.

Jim collapsed to the group with a cry of pain, drawing the attention of the rest of the landing party.

"Captain!" Spock cried, powerful hands grabbing onto Kirk's shoulder in an attempt to halt his violent writhing. "Captain, are you alright!"

Jim did not even hear Spock. The entirety of his attention was focused on the intense, mind-numbing pain that had enveloped his body. It was worth than any pain, any torture he had previously suffered. Every cell of his body was awash with agony.

The shock was far too much for his system to handle, and he fell into blessed oblivion.

Spock was finally able to reach around to Jim's back and ripped the alien off. His efforts were useless, however. The creature had successfully completed its goal.

Now it was only a matter of time…

* * *

_"Acting Captain's Log, supplemental. Whatever the organisms recently encountered on Deneva may be, it appears that they have taken over the entirety of the population. In the last encounter the crew of the Enterprise had with the organisms, Captain Kirk was attacked._

"_Immediately following the attack the Captain lost consciousness under the influence of seemingly extreme pain. The away team beamed back to the Enterprise, at which point Kirk unexpectedly began to regain awareness. _

"_Doctor McCoy had been alerted to the situation, and was awaiting the Captain's arrival in the transporter room. Upon realizing the situation, the Doctor immediately injected the Captain with a sedative and directed his relocation to Sickbay._

"_As the Captain remains incapacitated, First Officer Spock has assumed the role of Acting Captain until Captain Kirk is able to reassume command." _

* * *

In Sickbay, Doctor McCoy and Nurse Chapel were examining the puncture mark that had been left behind by the alien that attacked Jim. As he worked, Leonard noticed that the Captain was starting to awaken again.

"Nurse."

Nurse Chapel injected another sedative into the Captain's neck. Both medical officers were relieved to see Kirk fall back into unconsciousness.

"That's the second time he's come out of it. Either he's fighting us, or something inside of him is fighting us."

They both looked intently at the neural readings on the biobed – as if through the sheer force of their wills would keep the Captain sedated. Chapel shook her head in consternation as the readings continued to climb in spite of their efforts.

"Doctor, the Captain's readings have never looked like that before."

"Prepare to close," McCoy sighed, looking helplessly down at his hands. He hated the fact that he had to leave his friend in such pain, but there was nothing more he could do. He couldn't help but wonder why it always had to be Jim who suffered these things. Not that he would wish this on another member of the crew, but Jim was easily his closest friend. It was beyond frustrating to time and again see him injured and hurting.

The Doctor looked up when he realized that Chapel had not made any move to assist him in closing the incision. "Nurse!"

Chapel stared at him aghast, not wanting to believe they were giving up so easily. "Doctor, that's not all you're going to do?"

"Nurse Chapel," he barked, frayed nerves leaving him even more irritable than usual.

"Doctor, there is more of it in him and it's flying all through his body."

"Nurse Chapel, if you cannot assist me call another nurse in here. But do one of the other now!"

Still not liking the situation, but realizing that it was a battle she was not going to win, Chapel looked away in defeat.

* * *

Meanwhile, a battle raged inside the mind of James T. Kirk.

_Why do fight us, human? You must know that it is futile. You will fall, as have all others before you._

Kirk spun around, seeking the source of the strange chorus-like combination of voices in the impenetrable darkness in which he floated. "I'm not letting you hurt my people or my ship you bastard! I don't care what you do to me."

_We have heard similar vows in the past. None were able to resist our might._

"You've never crossed paths with me before. You killed my brother and his wife, and billions of other innocent people. My nephew is being sedated in the slim hopes that it will keep him alive. And now you're trying to use me to take over my ship and infect my crew. And you expect me to just roll over without a fight? You're insane."

_We can keep you alive and in pain from now until your body finally succumbs to old age. You will never have a moment of peace. You will know nothing more than suffering until you eventually beg us for a mercy that you will not receive. _

"And that would still be a victory for me. You can torture me all you want. You're not getting control of the _Enterprise_."

Kirk could literally feel the creature's irritation, and he took a savage enjoyment in being the cause. His achievement was short lived.

_Scream._

The constant agony he had been under since being attacked on Deneva suddenly, impossibly, became even more intense until it was all he could focus on… all he could think of… all he could remember…

And he screamed.

* * *

Spock turned in the Captain's chair when he heard the doors to the Bridge open. Doctor McCoy stepped through and immediately made his way to where the Vulcan sat.

"Doctor McCoy, how fairs the Captain?"

"To be very frank, Spock, I don't know that I can do anything for him," McCoy sighed, holding up a glass specimen jar with several string-like appendages inside. "Pieces of some sort of living tissue. I removed one from the Captain's spinal column and the other from his sister-in-law's body; they're both the same. And the boy is far too weak to touch. Besides, the removal of the tissue wouldn't stop the pain anyhow as far as I can tell."

"Were you able to operate on the Captain in time?" Spock inquired, hoping that perhaps Kirk's condition was caught before it became irreparable.

The Doctor shook his head, still astonished himself at just how quickly the alien tissue had invaded Jim's body. "No, no, no. I removed these for examination. His body's full of these tentacles, entwining and growing all about his nervous system.

"Evidently when the creature attacks it leaves a stinger, much like a bee or a wasp, in the victim's body. It takes over the victim very rapidly, and the entwining is far, far too involved for conventional surgery to remove."

"And your recommendation, Doctor?"

"I don't know, Spock! This is beyond anything I've ever seen before. The lab, the science departments… we're all stumped."

* * *

Nurse Chapel was puttering about Sickbay, mind still on the Captain's terrible situation, when a blood-curdling cry broke the quiet.

Turning quickly to where the Captain was laying, she was dismayed to see him writhing on the biobed, his face a mask of agony.

She raced to the communications station, hailing the Bridge. "Sickbay to the Bridge. This is Nurse Chapel. I need Doctor McCoy down here immediately. There's something wrong with the Captain."

Spock and McCoy shared a look of concern. "On my way, Nurse," McCoy acknowledged, then turned and made his way to the turbolift.

"One moment, Doctor. I shall accompany you. Mister Sulu, you have the conn."

"Yes, Sir," Sulu acknowledged, moving to take the Captain's chair as Spock and McCoy left for Sickbay.

They arrived to see Chapel and several other members of the medical staff struggling to place restraints on Kirk's thrashing body.

"Nurse, report!"

"The sedatives aren't having any effect anymore, Doctor," Chapel explained, not leaving her position at the Captain's bedside. "We were afraid he was going to hurt himself."

"Dammit, Jim!" McCoy cried as he jumped into the fray, watching in alarm as the K3 indicator – which registered the amount of pain Kirk was suffering – steadily increased.

Finally the team was able to strap Kirk's body down to the bed, though the man continued to struggle against them.

"With that level of distress it's no wonder the poor devils go mad. We've got to get his mind back under control. Who knows how much damage the Captain's already sustained, we can't let it get worse."

"But nothing's working!" one of the nurses replied, frustration leaking into his voice.

"Doctor, if I may, I believe I have a suggestion."

All attention turned to Spock, who until this point had been standing forgotten near the end of Kirk's bed.

"Well, spit it out already! What's this grand plan of yours?"

"A simple mind meld. Once inside the Captain's mind, I should be able to determine the source of his agitation and resolve the problem."

"A meld? Are you out of your Vulcan mind?" McCoy shouted, one arm violently pointing at the sensor readouts that were flashing above Kirk's form. "Look at Jim's readings, for crying out loud! There's no telling how adversely a meld would affect you, but I can guarantee it wouldn't be pretty."

"And yet, Doctor, it would seem that we have little choice. As you yourself said, we cannot allow the Captain's condition to continue to worsen. However none of your treatments have been effective. The only logical option is for me to meld with the Captain and attempt to correct the situation, 'from the inside' as you would say."

Leonard continued to glare at the Vulcan until a cry from Jim distracted him. His hands, which were still holding Kirk's right arm, tightened as he watched his friend shake – each pain-filled sob striking his heart. The Doctor had seen Kirk completely ignore wounds that would have taken most other people out for days. For him to be reacting so violently, even unconscious… how much torment must he be experiencing?

McCoy's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Alright. But we're going to be monitoring you the entire time. Any trouble, I expect you to get yourself out of there, you hear me? We can't afford to have you and Jim both out of commission."

"I assure you, I will take all appropriate precautions."

"That'll be the day," the Doctor snorted, motioning the medical team to give Spock room.

Unhesitatingly Spock approached Jim. Leaning over the bed, his fingers assumed their appropriate positions on the other man's psi points.

"My mind to your mind…"

* * *

Upon materializing in Jim's mind space, Spock was nearly brought to his knees by the intense pain that immediately assaulted him. It took all his Vulcan will remain standing. He paused, eyes closed as he gathered his strength, and then sent his thoughts racing outwards, searching for his Captain.

It was not long before he had an indication of where he needed to go – he quickly set off in the direction from which the worst of the agony he was feeling originated. As he continued on he became more and more concerned for Jim. The statistical likelihood of a mere human – even one as remarkable as Jim had shown himself to be – being able to abide such torture with his sanity intact was infinitesimal.

And yet, it would not be the first time the Captain had somehow managed to defy the odds.

Suddenly, as if a barrier had broken, Spock was assaulted by agonized, heart wrenching screams. Increasing his pace, Spock was finally able to see Kirk. The usually strong, proud man was being held aloft in the air by invisible bonds. Much as his physical body fought against the restraints the medical team had been forced to put in place, here too he continued to strain against the chains that held him.

Closer now, Spock could see Kirk's muscles palpitating – spasms wracking his helpless body in time with his screams. His eyes were clenched tightly shut and, most disconcerting of all, tears streamed down his pale face. If he had a physical throat, Spock was certain that the Captain's would have been hoarse and bleeding.

Seeing Jim thusly, it became even more imperative to Spock that he somehow aid Kirk – and quickly. Based on what he was seeing, Spock realized that the prognosis for Jim's mental facilities remaining intact was even worse than they had feared.

As Spock closed in on the Captain he hit a barrier and was assaulted with intense pain. Immediately he stumbled back, and the pain stopped as suddenly as it had began.

Now wary, the Vulcan called out, "Captain, can you hear me?"

There was no indication that he was heard. "Captain! Jim!"

_He cannot hear you. Our power prevents it._

Spock scanned his surroundings but was unable to find the speaker – or speakers – that had addressed him. He was reasonably certain to whom… or what… the voice belonged, however.

"What are you? Why have you been attacking innocent people?"

_We are as we are. We seek to assimilate and conquer. All will fall before us. _

"And Jim? Why did you choose to attack him? "

_He is your leader. We would have him, and with him we would have your ship. With your ship we would have unprecedented opportunity to expand our reach._

"And your continued torment of the Captain? Surely that you are aware that you no longer have the opportunity to use him against the ship."

_It is true that you have prevented us from using this one, but we will still prevail. Chaos, pain, madness… this is what we are. We need no more reason for our actions that this._

"We will stop you."

_It is hopeless. You will not succeed - in saving him or in saving yourselves. It is only a matter of time before he breaks. We will have him. We will have you all._

"You will not." Determination renewed by the unexpected news that Kirk was not yet beyond reach, Spock pushed again against the barrier separating him from his Captain, forcing his mind to control and barricade the pain that bombarded him.

_No! Stop!_

He ignored the commands and continued pressing his way towards Jim. Each step was a battle of wills, but he was determined to reach his Captain.

Finally he was able to reach out and, arranging his fingers once more on Kirk's psi points, he initiated another meld.

"Sp… Spock?"

Spock found himself embarrassingly relieved to finally hear Jim's voice - even if only mentally - to have proof that the other man recognized and remembered him. Doing his best to shield them both from the creature, he sought to reassure the other man.

"Yes, Captain. It is I."

"How…?" Minds doubly joined, Spock could feel the Captain's confusion and relief – both at having the Vulcan there and at the lessening of the pain that resulted from Spock's efforts – almost as if they were his own emotions.

"After you were attacked it became necessary to sedate you in order to protect you from at least a portion of the pain to which you were being subjected. When it became obvious that sedation would not be an adequate solution, and without another viable option, it was determined that a mind meld would allow for the greatest possibility of successfully alleviating your suffering."

Worry now became the most prominent emotion, though guilt was also present. "Ship?"

Of course, it would not be concern for his own state – not from Jim. Instead it was worry for his beloved ship and crew.

"The _Enterprise_ is fully operational, Captain. After the attack on your person the away team was beamed back to the ship immediately. There were no other injuries to the crew.

"Due to your incapacitation, I have temporarily assumed command. Doctor McCoy has discovered that the creatures we encountered on Deneva inject tissue into their victims. These tissue specimens grow and entwine themselves with the victims' nervous systems. I am afraid currently we are unaware as to a method of safely removing the foreign tissue from the victims."

"I have… confidence. Get the… science labs on… it."

"Indeed, I had planned to do so, Captain."

"Go. Time's… wasting. Take care… of my… ship."

"I shall look after the _Enterprise_ to the best of my abilities until you are able to reassume command. Before I disengage the meld, however, there is something I would attempt."

"What's that?"

"I think it best if I not detail my intent at this time. Do you trust me, Jim?"

"Course." The speed of the response caused a warmth to infuse Spock in spite of his best efforts.

"Then brace yourself. I do not know how the creature will react when it realizes what I am about to attempt."

Spock could feel the other man gathering his still unbroken spirit, bracing himself for whatever might come. "Alright. Whenever you're… ready, Spock."

With that Spock struck out with all the force of his mind, forcing the creature's presence back, freeing Jim from its chains and psionic barrage. Before the creature could recover, taking advantage of the compatibility of he and Jim's minds, Spock built a mental barrier between them and the creature.

A shriek of anger and hatred swept over them like a raging tsunami, but Spock was able to hold the barrier in place. After the mindscape had finally calmed he began buttressing the barrier and strengthening its foundations in Kirk's mind.

_Trifling irritant. Your feeble protections will not hold for long against us._

"It will hold long enough."

_We should end your pitiful existence here and now._

"Leave Spock… out of this… bastard. Your fight's… with me."

"Jim…"

"Get out of… here, Spock. I can… manage now… thanks to you. You've got… a ship to… run."

"Captain, are you certain that…"

"Yes, Spock. They'll need… that brain of yours… to figure this out. Go."

_Yes, run away little coward. Leave your Captain to us._

Spock paused, uncharacteristically hesitant.

"I will endure… promise. No go."

"I shall hold you to your word, Captain."

"I'd be… disappointed if you didn't."

The image of a sincere grin on a resolute face burned itself into Spock's memory as he ended the melds.

* * *

"Well?" Doctor McCoy demanded as soon as Spock pulled his hand away from Kirk's face.

Spock took a moment to settle his own mind – slightly disquieted at how lonely it seemed now – before answering the Doctor.

"I was able to shield the Captain's mind from the alien's attack, but it is only a temporary solution. We must find some way to destroy the creature outright."

"We need… one of the creatures."

The hoarse, unsteady voice brought all attention to the Captain. Hazy, pain-filled hazel eyes swept over everyone in the room.

"Jim!" Leonard cried out, moving to the other man's side. "What the hell are you doing awake? You should still be unconscious!"

"That thing's… fighting the tranquilizers. Has been, but… I wouldn't let myself… wake up before. Thanks to Spock… I've got some breathing room. Figured I'd help out while I can."

Kirk's voice steadily gained strength as he talked, though strain was still obvious on his face.

"The only 'help' you're going to be providing is to help me do my job by staying right there in that bed! For crying out loud, man! Your body's under an incredible amount of strain. Any additional stress could kill you!"

Kirk turned his head to face Spock, ignoring Leonard's protests. "As I said, we need to capture one of these creatures so we can analyze it – study it for weaknesses."

Spock inclined his head in agreement. "A test specimen would be ideal, Captain, but it is too dangerous to send anyone down to the surface. We have already discovered that our phasers have little effect on the creatures. Anyone sent down to the planet would be in extreme danger of being infected."

"That's why I'll be going, Mister Spock."

Kirk continued speaking over the chaotic protests that followed his declaration. "It's perfectly logical. I've already been infected; I'd be in no danger."

"Jim, this is ridiculous. I don't let my patients go running around. You need to stay in bed!"

Kirk turned to McCoy, meeting the Doctor's irate glare head on. "And what more can you do for me here, Doctor? It was my understanding that you had reached a dead end when it came to determining a way to destroy these creatures. Was I in error?"

"No, but dammit, there's got to be another way!"

"Doctor, the only other option we have at this point would be for Peter and myself to be beamed down to Deneva and have the _Enterprise_ open fire."

Leonard's face turned white and he stuttered in shock. "Are… are you mad? Jim, you're talking about the murder of over one million innocent people."

"I'm aware of that. I am also aware that it is our duty to ensure that these… things… are stopped here. They cannot be allowed to escape the planet. So either I beam down to the planet and secure a test subject or Peter and I beam down and the _Enterprise_ puts an end to this once and for all."

"The Captain is correct, Doctor." Spock's calm voice broke the silence that had enveloped the room at Kirk's statement. "The destruction of Deneva and its inhabitants is a most disagreeable solution. As the situation now stands, however, it is our only option when it comes to possibly stopping these creatures. We need additional information on the creatures if we are to determine another alternative. Information that can only be gained from studying a live specimen."

"Alright fine! If you're in such a hurry to get yourself killed, who am I to stop you?" McCoy shouted, storming towards the door out of Sickbay.

"Bones, I'm sorry," Kirk called after him, "but it's the only way."

The door slid open, but Leonard didn't go through. For several seconds he remained standing in the doorway, body rigid and motionless. Then he released a huge sigh and his shoulders slumped. He turned around and slowly walked back into the room.

"I know, Jim. But I still don't like it."

* * *

Back on the planet, Kirk quickly made his way towards the courtyard where they had originally encountered the creatures. As he walked a shadow on the path ahead of him alerted him to danger. Jim dove out of the way just in time – a Denevan swung a large tool of some sort through the area where his head had been only a fraction of a second earlier. Continuing his motion into a controlled roll, Kirk came up to his knees with his phaser in his hand. Wasting no time, he fired on the other man, watching in relief as he collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Thankfully Kirk encountered no other Denevans, and he safely made it to the courtyard. As he cautiously approached the group of creatures he could feel them in his head, the pressure of their will building, pressing down on his mind. Each step he took was harder than the last.

Bringing his formidable will to bear, he resolutely advanced on the creatures' lair.

Finally in position, Jim set his phaser to kill and shot one of the things, keeping his fire steady until it finally collapsed onto the ground. At that moment, a shaft or pure agony arrowed through his mind, bringing him to his knees. Rocking back and forth, as low moans of pain escaped through clenched jaws, he brought his hands up to his head – which felt ready to split in two at any moment. His suffering increased as the barrier that Spock had helped him erect was blown to dust in the face of the creatures' concerted assault.

_Give up. You cannot continue to fight against us. Just say the words, and the pain will end._

"Ne… never," he choked out, tears coming to his eyes. Summoning every bit of his strength and determination he crawled over to the fallen specimen, dragging the collection kit with him.

_Why are you so determined to suffer needlessly? Let go. Give your body to us. We have no weaknesses. Your endeavor is doomed to fail._

"If… th…that was… true… you wouldn't… be … be… trying… to con… vince me to… stop."

Opening the kit, Kirk pulled out a set of pincers and placed the stunned creature in a containment canister. Test subject secured, he painstakingly began crawling back to the exit of the courtyard so that he could be beamed back to his ship.

He had to stop several times as psionic attacks were now coming almost continuously. By the time he reached the exit he was barely aware, focusing solely on the forward movement of his hands and feet. Kirk didn't even realize that he had reached the exit until he saw his surrounding dissolve in the familiar sparks of the transporter beam.

* * *

Kirk collapsed immediately upon appearing on the transporter pad, his body going into seizures as his mind was finally overcome.

"Jim!" Doctor McCoy, who had insisted on waiting for the Captain's return in the transporter room, cried in dismay as he saw the state his friend was in. He quickly injected his most powerful tranquilizer into Kirk and took several readings, vaguely hearing Scotty contacting the bridge to let Spock know what was going on.

"Dammit!" Turning to his team, who he had also had standing by, he instructed, "Secure the Captain to the hoverbed; we need to get him to sick bay stat! Chapel, grab the specimen and bring it along."

In spite of coming from farther away, Spock met the team at Sickbay.

"Doctor, what is the Captain's condition?"

"Not good!" McCoy shouted, gesturing to the still convulsing Kirk. "I told you both this was a foolhardy idea. He collapsed on the transporter pad – his K3 readings are through the roof! He's dying, Spock, and there's not a damn thing we can do about it."

"That is unacceptable. To one side, please – I will attempt another meld."

Not seeing a choice, Leonard stepped away from Jim's bedside, staring helplessly at the readouts above. Spock brought his hands into position but before he could initiate a meld he automatically jerked them away as a wave of agony assaulted him.

"Spock, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Do not concern yourself. I was merely unprepared."

"Unprepared for what? Spock! Spock!"

But Spock had already reassumed position, this time prepared for the pain he knew was to come. Firming his control, he began. "My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts…"

* * *

This time Spock appeared directly beside the Captain to a scene that he was sure would have haunted his dreams if he was capable of them. Jim was on the ground, back arched and entire body rigid. He mouth was stretched open in a silent scream. He was engulfed in a foreboding dark cloud. As Spock watched, the cloud seemed to shrink – a second later the Vulcan realized that rather than shrinking the cloud was instead insinuating its way inside Kirk's body.

_You are too late. This one has proven to be too troublesome. He will be destroyed._

"No!" Spock shouted, usually carefully controlled emotions running amok as he witnessed his Captain's peril. He lunged for Kirk, placing his hands on psi points and sending all his energy through the prone body.

The creatures resisted his efforts, but he refused to give up and continued to strain against their presence in Jim's mind. "Jim, t'hy'la, you must not give up. You must continue to fight. I am here to assist you, but I cannot defeat these creatures alone. Please."

_You are too late. There is nothing left of him but his husk, and soon that too will perish. He was warned, but he was too stub…_

"Shut… up…"

Though the 'body' did not move, Spock could feel Jim's consciousness fluttering against his own – as light as a butterfly floating along a gentle breeze.

"Jim!" Spock grabbed onto the other's consciousness with all his might, doing his best to pull Jim back and ground him once again in his body. The dark cloud that had previously enveloped Kirk released its hold and moved back slightly from the pair of Officers, appearing almost wary. As quickly as he could, Spock built another mental barrier around Kirk and himself, reinforcing it and strengthening it to the best of his abilities.

_You have only bought him a temporary reprieve. You cannot protect him forever. He will be ours._

Task completed, Spock ignored the creatures and turned back to Kirk, who was now lying flat on the ground. While his body was still tense, and spasms shook him periodically, he no longer looked to be on death's doorstep. His eyes were slit open and trained on the Vulcan.

"Jim, I am… it is good to hear you again. It appeared that I had arrived too late. I am gratified to see that this was not the case."

A small smirk teased one corner of Kirk's mouth as he regarded his First.

"Not… out of… woods yet."

"Indeed. We must find some way of safely removing the creatures from their victims as quickly as possible. Were you able to secure a specimen?"

"Yes."

"Then I should end the meld so that I might aid in the analysis." Spock hesitated, looking down at Jim. "Will you be able to endure if I do so?"

"For… little while… at least."

"Very well. I shall endeavor to keep you abreast of our progress, Captain. I have confidence that between us, Doctor McCoy and myself will be able to find some way to stop these creatures."

"If any… one can," Kirk agreed, a fond warmth in his eyes. As Spock moved to end the meld, however, those eyes turned deadly serious.

"Spock… if this… doesn't work. Up to… you to… do what… has to be… done. Don't let them… escape. That's… order."

Spock somberly regarded the other man as the gravity of that order settled on his shoulders. Finally he gave one decisive nod. "Understood."

* * *

Several hours later Doctor McCoy answered a summons from the Acting Captain to Science Lab Four. Upon entering he saw Spock sitting in front of some of the equipment, the creature Jim had captured secured within.

"Please, come in Doctor. I believe you will find this interesting." When McCoy took his place behind the Vulcan, Spock brought the results of his tests up on the monitors. "Please observe. A one-celled creature, resembling more than anything else a huge, individual brain cell."

Explanations and possibilities began to swirl through Leonard's mind as he read the information in front of him. "That would answer a lot of our questions. This could be just one cell of another, immense organism… everything would start to make sense."

"Indeed. Although it is not physically connected to the other cells, it is nevertheless part of the whole creature. Guided by the whole. Drawing its strength from the whole. Which probably accounts for its unusual resistance to our phaser weapons."

"But how do we destroy it? Just knowing that it's part of some sort of… gestalt doesn't do us much good. We need to know how to kill it!"

"That, Doctor, is something that I have not yet discovered."

* * *

True to his word, Spock once again melded with the Captain, being sure to appear within the confines of his mental barrier. He was uncertain as to whether or not the creature could do him harm while in Jim's mind and saw no logic in taking more risks than were necessary.

He was concerned to see how much his barrier had degraded in the time he had been gone. Additionally, while Jim did not appear to have gotten any worse in his time away, he had obviously not improved either.

When he saw Spock Jim attempted to sit up from his supine position, but it was obvious that it was a struggle.

"Please remain prostrate, Captain. It is imperative that you conserve your strength."

Kirk gave a humorless chuckle. "Can't get up… anyway. Well Commander? Report."

Spock did so, outlining all the information they had been able to gather from the specimen, and ending with the admission that, even with this knowledge, they were still no closer to determining a method of safely removing the creatures from their hosts and destroying them.

Kirk was silent after Spock completed his explanations, a pensive look on his face. "Captain?" Spock prompted when it appeared that Jim would remain silent, "Do you require clarification of anything?"

"No, Mister Spock. You were as… thorough as always. I was merely thinking… on our problem."

Finally a look of dawning inspiration broke over Kirk's face. "The sun."

"Sir?"

"The Denevan that flew… into the sun," Kirk explained, his voice gaining energy as his enthusiasm grew. "He cried out that he was free… that he had won. That's the angle to work on."

Spock took a moment to consider the sequence again, realizing that the Captain was correct. "Indeed. It is certainly worth investigating further."

When the attack came this time it was without warning and more powerful than any that had preceded it. If Spock had been even a fraction of a second slower, they both would have been lost. Instead he was able to shore up his barrier just in time, though the strain of keeping it up in the face of such aggressiveness was trying even on his Vulcan mind.

He succeeded in his efforts, however, and eventually the attack diminished to almost nothing. He struggled to regain his breath, and could see out of the corner of his eye Kirk again trying to rise.

"Kroykah! Stop, Captain."

"Spock, you're hurt."

"I am fine. Merely winded. The attack was unexpected, but not unwelcome."

Kirk looked confused for a moment, then his eyes lit with excitement. "Means we're on the… right track."

"Indeed. The likelihood that the timing of the attack, coming directly after your mentioning of the sun somehow being detrimental to the creatures, was coincidental is only four point eight seven seven percent."

"Mister Spock… I like those odds."

* * *

"It's no use, Spock," McCoy grumbled from his seat in the science lab in front of their specimen when Spock returned from updating Starfleet of their situation. "I've tried everything; radiation, intense heat – even as great as nine thousand degrees."

"May I inquire as to the point of these tests, Doctor?"

""The point? The point, you green-blooded hobgoblin is to find a way to kill these creatures!"

"Indeed. We do seek a way to destroy the creatures, but may I point out that we need a method that would do so without killing the hosts. The Denevan was clearly still alive when he claimed to have been freed from the creatures' control. Such would not have been the case were our solution any of the possibilities you have been investigating."

"Well then what do _you_ suggest, Commander? You and that Vulcan brain of yours have yet to offer any alternatives that I'm aware of."

"We are missing something. Something in or about the sun destroyed the creature before the Denevan died. There must be something that we have neglected to think of."

"But what! What other properties does the sun have, man?"

"It exists physically. It occupies space. It has mass, therefore gravity. It converts matter into energy, which takes the form of heat and sunlight. The temperature at the core is…"

"That's it! Of course. Light! The sun emits a blinding light!"

"That is a distinct possibility. On the surface, the creatures remained in areas where there was the least penetration of sunlight. It would fall in line with your hypothesis if they were seeking refuge from the sunlight, rather than simply hiding as we had initially posited."

"But what good does that do us?" McCoy asked, shoulders falling in defeat. "We can't move Deneva closer to the sun."

"No, but utilizing a string of satellites around the planet with burning tri-magnesite and trevium we could, in essence, provide the equivalent of the sun to Deneva."

A spark of hope reappeared in the Doctor's eyes. "Well, I can rig a test cubicle in the bio-lab and put our specimen in it."

"Excellent, Doctor. I suggest you proceed immediately."

* * *

The two men stood watching as Nurse Chapel placed the specimen's jar into the chamber McCoy had set up for the test.

"I suppose it would be pointless to ask if you're sure of your numbers."

"I have run the calculations myself, Doctor. The light of the sun at the proximity where the Denevan declared himself free was one million candles per square inch. If this works, the satellites we orbit will produce light of such intensity that even someone in a closed, darkened area will be affected by it."

Nurse Chapel interrupted before Leonard could reply. "Ready, Doctor."

"Put on your masks," McCoy directed, handing protective goggles to Chapel and Spock. When they were both ready, he activated the test, illuminating the test chamber with blinding light for several seconds.

"Completed," he informed them, turning off the light.

Anxiously the three of them opened the chamber to see if the test had met with any success.

"It worked!" McCoy cried excitedly as he took in the obviously dead creature. "We can do it."

"I would caution against premature optimism, Doctor," Spock intoned, staring intently at the specimen.

"What are you talking about, Spock. Look – it's dead!"

"Yes, it worked under precisely controlled laboratory conditions," Spock pointed out, finally looking up at McCoy. "We still do not know how this treatment would affect those infected by the creatures. Additionally, as currently designed – while this remedy could potentially free the victims from the creatures' control, it would most certainly result in serious, likely permanent optic damage. Clearly, further testing is required."

"Alright. I'll have Nurse Chapel perform an autopsy immediately."

"Thank you, Doctor. Please inform me as soon as the information is available. I will be on the bridge."

* * *

"McCoy to the bridge."

Spock straightened from the science station where he had been monitoring the planet when the Doctor's voice swept through the bridge. "Yes, Doctor?"

"The results from the autopsy are ready. I suggest you head down here immediately."

"Thank you. I will be there momentarily."

True to his word, only a handful of minutes later Spock was entering the lab.

"What have you discovered, Doctor?" he asked as he approached, stopping next to the other man's chair.

"Take a look at this, Spock." McCoy pointed to a particular portion of the screen in front of them. "I threw the total spectrum of light at the creature. It wasn't necessary."

"Interesting. Just as dogs are sensitive to certain sounds which humans cannot hear, these creatures evidently are sensitive to light which we cannot see."

"You know what this means, don't you?"

"Affirmative. We now have the knowledge and means at our disposal to safely liberate all the infected victims."

* * *

Lieutenant Sulu sat at his helmsman's position on the bridge, confirming the information before him before turning to report, "Completing the seeding orbit, Commander. Two hundred and ten ultraviolet satellites now in position seventy-two miles altitude, permanent orbit about the planet."

"Excellent, Lieutenant," Spock acknowledged from where he sat in the Captain's chair. "Commander Scott, what is the status of the scanners?"

"Scanners ready, Sir," Scotty replied.

"Very well. Are you ready, Lieutenant Sulu?"

"Ready, Sir."

With this, Spock pressed a button on the arm of the command chair, activating the communications console. "Satellite control, this is Commander Spock. At this time, energize all satellites."

"Affirmative."

"All satellites operative, Commander," Scotty reported, looking over the scanners.

The bridge crew nervously waited, impatient to find out if their efforts had been successful.

Finally Lieutenant Uhura broke the silence. "Commander, receiving messages from a ground station."

"Report."

"The things are dying, Sir," she stated with a growing smile. "It's working."

Spock again activated the communications console. "Commander Spock to Sickbay."

"Sickbay here," McCoy responded.

"Please inform the Captain that our attempt was successful. The creatures are dying, and communications with Deneva have been restored."

"Tell him yourself," the Doctor chuckled, sharing a fond smile with his Captain who was – most reluctantly – confined to bed rest. "He's laying right here."

"That's fantastic news, Mister Spock," Kirk spoke up. Nodding his head towards McCoy to include him in his next words, he continued, "Excellent work, all of you."

"We were merely fulfilling our duties, Captain," Spock replied.

"As you say, Mister Spock.," Kirk laughed, shaking his head at the predicable response. "As you say."

One eyebrow raised, Spock turned to navigations. "Lieutenant Hadley, plot a course for Starbase Ten."

"Aye, Sir… Course plotted."

"Lieutenant Sulu, ahead warp factor one."

"Warp factor one, sir."


End file.
